1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates in general to accessory equipment for firearms and in particular to a portable and adjustable apparatus for providing stable support.
2. Description of Related Art
Shooting game with a rifle relies substantially on the ability of the shooter to support the rifle in a steady or stable position to achieve maximum accuracy. The advantage of the long barrel of the rifle to align the trajectory of the projectile becomes a disadvantage if the rifle is not held in a fixed position after it is aimed at the target and while the trigger is squeezed to fire the round. It is often the case that resting a portion of the rifle on a fixed object such as a table, rock, or other stationary object enhances the ability to fire at a target with improved accuracy. For example, shooting from a blind that has a solid widow frame is one common example of such a fixed object. Other examples include a hunting stand railing, ledge, and the like. Nevertheless, the rifle when aimed must still be supported by the shooter in alignment with the target. This can be difficult for several reasons, such as strong winds, a rifle that is too heavy to hold steady (for instance, young shooters or shooters of small stature), nervousness, or a physical disability that impairs proper technique.
A number of efforts to provide stable support for a shooter's rifle in the window or other opening in a blind structure or similar context have been devised in the prior art. Several representative examples include U.S. Pat. No. 7,313,884 issued to Eddins, U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,445 issued to Lehman, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,435 issued to Peltier, all characterized by limited adjustment and adaptability to shooting environments, require the use of tools to make the adjustments, etc.